Hot water spring found under statue at Wat Suan Kaew Uthayan
Hot water has been discovered bubbling up from beneath the base of a statue at Wat Suan Kaew Uthayan in Samut Songkhram.
The statue, Tao Wessuwan, a deity figure standing 2.5 metres tall, is situated next to the temple’s main hall. Concerns initially arose that the heat might be due to an electrical short circuit. However, after digging approximately 50 centimetres into the concrete, no electrical wires were found, only clear, odourless hot water.
Phra Kru Rattanavisutthiwat, the abbot, initially feared an underground electrical issue. To investigate, he instructed workers to drill into the concrete. Upon reaching a depth of 50 centimetres, they found the hot water springing from beneath the statue, with no sign of electrical cables. Locals, curious about the discovery, tested the water with their hands and found no electrical current. Instead, they began using the water to soak their hands and feet, finding it both relaxing and auspicious.
Suwaroj Tiratanajarenwong, a local, confirmed the water’s warmth after visiting the site. Unlike boiled water, which cools quickly, this hot water retained its temperature for a long time, providing a tingling sensation, likely due to mineral content. Further checks indicated that the water was indeed flowing from the base of the Tao Wessuwan statue, which was constructed by Phra Kru Sophitwiriya Phon, or Luang Pho It, the abbot of Wat Chulamanee, in 2012. Suwaroj urged others to visit Wat Suan Kaew to witness this phenomenon.
Phra Kru Rattanavisutthiwat explained that monks had noticed the unusually warm concrete while sweeping the temple grounds several days before. Initially suspecting a potential electrical hazard, they decided to dig to identify the source.
Upon discovering the hot water, they found it had a calming effect when used to soak feet. The temple now plans to expand the opening around the spring and has requested relevant authorities to investigate the cause. If the water is found to have health benefits, it could be utilised further, or if deemed miraculous, the site could become a new spiritual tourist attraction, reported KhaoSod.
Meanwhile, locals have not missed the chance to seek lucky numbers from this event. Some have taken inspiration from the statue’s construction year, 2012, its height of 2.5 metres, or even the initial measured temperature of 49.1 degrees Celsius, hoping these numbers will bring them luck in upcoming lotteries.
